Camping. Knife vs kukri

poetommy16

poetommy16

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Oct 26, 2016
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So my family and friends are going camping in the summer and I like would like to be prepared, For for camping should it be a knife or kukri?

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If it's car camping, bring the whole kitchen or garage.... It all depends on the kind of camping you do. Think weight, volume and function.....

Kukri's make pretty good choppers, but you can cut most things with a folding saw camping. Car camping..... take axe, hatchet, knives, saws.... you name it.
 
I would rather camp with a knife and saw or a knife and hatchet/hawk/axe. I just used my kukri this past weekend, but it doesn't usually see much action. I would rather not do knifey tasks with a kukri. It's a bit overkill for prepping food, whittling utensils, or cutting cord.
 
Check out some of the knife maker's forums here. They are creating some excellent works of art that are fully functional. A well designed chopper can be just as good as a kukri and not as heavy.
 
Like everybody else said, it depends on what you're gonna do with it. If I had to pick one or the other for 99% of the stuff you usually do while camping I would go with a knife. Kukris are useful, though, and are great for chopping up wood....why not take both?
 
An ax, a Swede saw and a SAK should be sufficient. Kukris are fun but don't replace an ax for splitting.
 
poetommy16 said:
So my family and friends are going camping in the summer and I like would like to be prepared,...
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Hope for the best and
Be equally prepared for the worst.
Sounds like you fellas require both
If there is a way to spread out the weight and bulk...
 
I suggest you bring both.You don't want to clean a path with a knife or dealing a fish with a kukri,right?[emoji28]


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If it's car camping an axe or a hatchet for fuel processing is helpful....then a fixed blade in the 4" category for kitchen duties is all that you would really need.
 
Most authentic kukris come with a small knife and sharpening steel that fit in the same sheath. The smaller knife is for detail work where the kukri is too cumbersome.
 
Kukri , folding saw , 5-6" belt knife and Mora 2/0 around my neck has served me well on more than a few outings . But if you need an axe or are more comfortable with one then by all means take one . Saw , split/baton , stick Kukri tip in a stump and pull wood to blade for feathers . Skill set is your best tool .
 
All good advice above. Depends on where you are. A kukri is akin to a hatchet for splitting and good at cutting softer stuff, but an ax would be better for chopping firewood as well as splitting.
 
If the weight is not an issue, take both. What better place to play with sharp things than camping. Depends on the attitude of your group, too. Maybe you can enlighten them to tools they would not otherwise know or use. When I go to turkey camp in the spring, I take all kinds of things to play with. You can only hunt until noon, so gotta' fill the time some way. Buddies and I have a ball. And we're all seniors, so it never gets old.
 
I like cheap knives when camping in groups. Moras and opinels are the way to go. Easy to keep sharp and you don't have to worry about them wandering off.

I don't like kukris. They're great for chopping, but that's about it. I've always found other knives more useful... and lighter.
 
I feel that the kukri/kukuri was designed by and for people who could only afford one tool for many jobs. Those jobs ranged from self defense to digging out roots, cutting vegetation, chopping wood, etc. They developed a mystique firstly as a weapon (gurkha fighters) and, more recently as a camping tool (chopper). I have four variations in my collection, but they are never used. As others have suggested (with some variation), I prefer a good sized knife (that definition is a discussion by itself) and a tomahawk. Light folding saws are also very handy if there is much wood to process. Just my .02 :) Back to what kind of camping is being done. ;)
 
I like to try out different blades when I camp. One time I'll use the kukri for everything from food prep to firewood. The next trip I use the small forest axe, tomahawk or Bowie for everything. Of course they all have their job they excel at, but I like to see how they perform in a one blade [what if] situation. I think you learn your blade inside and out by doing this, and in some cases knowing what a particular blades doesn't do well will help you choose when you don't have the option of taking everything.

Plus, this philosophy justifies buying and bringing lots of blades with you...
 
hauntedchild said:
Kukri , folding saw , 5-6" belt knife and Mora 2/0 around my neck has served me well on more than a few outings . But if you need an axe or are more comfortable with one then by all means take one . Saw , split/baton , stick Kukri tip in a stump and pull wood to blade for feathers . Skill set is your best tool .
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The guy opened the thread ten months ago, about a camping trip he was taking this past summer. I'm going to guess it got sorted out.

Unless of course you just wanted to open it to discuss appropriate knives for camping generally, in which case, it might pay to open a new thread for that purpose.
 
poetommy16 said:
So my family and friends are going camping in the summer and I like would like to be prepared, For for camping should it be a knife or kukri?

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Click to expand...

Prepared for what? Gutting a fish or two and slicing salami in the State Park? Fending off hockey mask wearing psychos who hang out in the woods? Wild boar hand to hand combat Rambo-style?

If you are moving, keep it light. 4 inch fixed blade and a folding saw would more than suffice. Actually a Vic Farmer would probably more than suffice too.

Car camping and planning on drinking beer, sitting in a folding chair, and beating the bejeebus outta innocent trees? Bring the kukhi and the machete and all your toys. When else you gonna use them?

Really the best preparation would be to bring a GPS and let people know where you are going and how long you will be gone.
 
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